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Blog posts February 2021

Del Monte to Return to GULFOOD 2021

Dubai, United Arab Emirates-Monday 22 February 2021 [ AETOS Wire ]

 

In line with its mission to stay attentive to consumers’ needs and ahead of their demands, Del Monte in the Middle East and North Africa (“MENA”) will be taking part in the 26th edition of Gulfood, ‘Gulfood 2021’. The event, the world’s largest annual food, beverage and hospitality exhibition, will take place from 20-25 February 2021 at the Dubai World Trade Center (DWTC) to discuss the revolutionary shifts in the world of F&B and shape the future of food and gastronomy.

“With the consumer in mind, Fresh Del Monte will once again leverage this world leading event to showcase its products, notably HONEYGLOW™, the sustainably grown pineapple, as well as its wide range of healthy, sustainable and premium quality products, ultra-fresh beverages, fruit salads and fresh cut veggies, that would boost consumers’ immunity and health, especially in these unprecedented times,” commented Mrs. Racha El Aawar, Fresh Del Monte’s Regional Marketing Manager for the Middle East and North African region.

Fresh Del Monte`s Senior Vice President for the Middle East, North Africa and Asia-Pacific, Mohammed Abbas, noted: “Fresh Del Monte has always strived to be one step ahead and is determined to be the Produce Leader in Food Safety & Quality. With this in mind, we adopt a proactive approach to continuous development in Food Safety Controls & Procedures, with a special focus on customers.”

Adding further, Abbas said: “Ever since the Coronavirus pandemic disrupted our world as we know it, consumers have become more aware of the importance of healthy living and eating; and in the fast-paced world we live in, they have opted for convenient, fresh, yet healthy choices, such as Fresh Del Monte’s line of products. Fresh Del Monte has deservedly become consumers’ preferred choice, thanks to its Robust Monitoring & Risks Preventive Plan, designed to ensure food safety readiness. As a food safety culture-oriented organization, we believe in continuous learning and development of the workforce, to stay true to the DEL MONTE® mission, to product innovation, quality, freshness and reliability.”

Fresh Del Monte performs continuous analysis and review of environmental monitoring programs to ensure thoroughness and effectiveness of sanitation programs; leveraging technology to track & control all processes at all levels of operation, with active real time mapping with integration corrective/preventive action management.

Being the year’s first and only live, in-person food & beverage sourcing event – Gulfood 2021 will be implementing ‘Venue Safe’ standards ensure strict adherence to all safety and hygiene measures for the safe return of organized events.

 

About Del Monte Fresh Produce Middle East and North Africa

The Del Monte group of companies in the Middle East and North Africa (“MENA”) is a leading producer, marketer and distributor of fresh and value-added fruits and vegetables and other fresh produce, ultra-fresh beverages and prepared food; refining the market and providing solutions for healthy eating.  The Company’s agricultural and manufacturing practices are validated by local and international standards in sustainability, quality, food safety, and social accountability and comply with all applicable laws. The Company markets its products under the Del Monte® brand (under license from Del Monte Foods, Inc.), a symbol of product innovation, quality, freshness and reliability for over 125 years. MENA is an indirect subsidiary of Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. and is not affiliated with certain other Del Monte companies around the world, including Del Monte Foods, Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Del Monte Pacific Limited, Del Monte Canada, or Del Monte Asia Pte. Ltd.

 

 


Contacts

 

Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc.

Racha El Aawar, Regional Marketing Director, MENA, +97143333801

RElaawar@FreshDelmonte.com

 

 

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OAG and IATA Strengthen Data Partnership to Combat Market and Schedule Volatility

Comprehensive data supplied by OAG’s new cloud platform will help power IATA’s Airport IS market intelligence tool.

BOSTON-Thursday 25 February 2021 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- OAG, the world’s leading provider of travel data and insight has agreed a partnership with International Air Transport Association (IATA), to provide schedule and reference data via its new cloud platform. As part of the strengthened partnership between the two aviation leaders, OAG will also provide IATA with a customized version of its market-leading Analyzer tool which will be offered as part of a bundle alongside Airport IS and other existing tools in the future.

Built on the Snowflake cloud platform, the supply of reference and schedules data provides customers with the richest and freshest version of schedules data available in the market.

“COVID-19’s ongoing impact on traffic volatility has made it critical to power our products with the most up-to-date data available,” said Charles de Gheldere, Director Aviation Data at IATA. “Our strengthened partnership with OAG supplies our airport customers with fresh and accurate data and a highly-innovative, modern and flexible cloud-based platform. The combined IATA and OAG offerings enable airports to operate more intelligently and efficiently while navigating one of the most unpredictable periods in our industry’s lifetime.”

Phil Callow, CEO, OAG added, “Our high-quality, flexible and creative technology enables us to adapt to ongoing market volatility by delivering the optimal version of our data directly in the hands of our customers. Our deeper partnership with IATA and investment in our new cloud platform are the latest steps in our ongoing journey to empower the industry with best-in-class data and tech.”

The multi-year partnership officially went into effect on Jan. 1st, 2021 and marks the start of a developing relationship with the two organizations.

To learn more about how OAG is using the latest technology to power the world of travel, click here.

About OAG

OAG is a leading global travel data provider, that has been powering the growth and innovation of the air travel ecosystem since 1929.

Headquartered in the UK, OAG has global operations in the USA, Singapore, Japan, Lithuania and China.

For more information, visit: www.oag.com and follow us on Twitter @OAG Aviation.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210224005505/en/

Contacts
Media:
Caroline Mather, Marketing Director, OAG
Corporate Ink for OAG
pressoffice@oag.com

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Ecoppia Strengthens Its Presence in the Middle East with a first Project in Egypt

Already recognized as the world leader in robotic solutions for the solar industry, Ecoppia signed an agreement with an international energy company for the deployment of its robotic solutions in BenBan Solar Park, Egypt

TEL AVIV, Israel-Thursday 25 February 2021 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Ecoppia (TASE:ECPA), the pioneer and world leader in robotic solutions for photovoltaic solar, announced today a new project in one of the worlds’ largest solar parks in BenBan, Egypt.

BenBan solar park, located near the southern Egyptian city of Aswan, has a total capacity of 1,650 MWp corresponding to an annual production of approximately 3.8 TW, and is spread across nearly 40 km. While enjoying very high radiation rates, the facility also suffers from major soiling and desert sands, requiring frequent cleaning to ensure steady and optimal production.

Ecoppia’s robotic solutions were proven to be extremely effective, cleaning nearly 10 million solar panels every night in harsh climatic conditions, spreading across roughly 2,500MW of installations globally.
Not only effective, the robots were also proven to be fully safe and reliable on all module types, to include glass on glass and bifacial.

Ecoppia’s unique robotic solutions are completely autonomous, water-free and energy independent, allowing site owners to enjoy the benefits of a year-round peak performance while lowering their O&M expenses and overall, their LCOE.

This project in BenBan will feature the light weighted Ecoppia T4 solution, designed especially for Single Axis trackers.

This is yet another vote of confidence in Ecoppia by leading multinational energy company, following the long-term engagements already in place with market leaders such as Engie, EDF, First Solar, Fortum, ReNew Power, Azure Power and others.

“We are excited to take part in the sustainability revolution in the Middle East” said Jean Scemama, CEO of Ecoppia. “As leaders in robotic cleaning solutions for solar, entering a new country is a great milestone in the company’s growth, especially when the project is in one of the largest and most significant solar parks in the world” he added.
“Our unparalleled experience in the region, operating in the Middle East since early 2014, enables us to deliver great value to such projects, as we see more and more energy companies advancing towards full automation of their O&M activities” he concluded.

About Ecoppia

With over 16GW of signed agreements, Ecoppia (TASE: ECPA) is a pioneer and world leader in robotic solutions for photovoltaic solar. Ecoppia’s cloud-based, water-free, autonomous robotic systems remove dust from solar panels on a daily basis leveraging sophisticated technology and advanced Business Intelligence capabilities. Remotely managed and controlled, the Ecoppia platform allows solar sites to maintain peak performance with minimal costs and human intervention. Ecoppia’s proprietary algorithms and robotic solutions make day-to-day O&M at solar sites safer, more efficient and more reliable. Publicly held and backed by prominent international investment funds, Ecoppia works with the largest energy companies across the globe, cleaning millions of solar panels every day. For more information, please visit www.ecoppia.com

Contacts
Anat Cohen Segev
VP Marketing, Ecoppia
acohen@ecoppia.com

Permalink : https://www.aetoswire.com/news/ecoppia-strengthens-its-presence-in-the-middle-east-with-a-first-project-in-egypt/en

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Kioxia Commences Construction of New Fabrication Facility at Yokkaichi Plant to Support Sixth-Generation 3D Flash Memory Production

YOKKAICHI, Japan -Thursday 25 February 2021 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Kioxia Corporation, the world leader in memory solutions, today held a groundbreaking ceremony for its state-of-the-art semiconductor fabrication facility (Fab7) at Yokkaichi Plant in Mie Prefecture, Japan. The facility will be one of the most advanced manufacturing operations in the world, dedicated to production of its proprietary 3D flash memory BiCS FLASHTM. The first phase of construction is scheduled to be completed by the spring of 2022. Construction of the new facility will be divided into two phases to allow for continued production and shipment of cutting-edge flash memory products to meet ongoing market demand.

The Fab7 facility will have an earthquake absorbing structure and an environmentally friendly design that includes the latest energy saving manufacturing equipment. Located in Yokkaichi Plant, which offers the world’s largest flash memory production capacity, the Fab7 facility will further boost Kioxia’s entire production capacity by introducing an advanced manufacturing system that utilizes AI.

Consistent with Kioxia’s successful 20-year partnership with Western Digital, the two companies regularly collaborate on facility operation. Accordingly, Kioxia and Western Digital expect to continue their joint venture investments for the Fab7 facility, including the creation of sixth-generation 3D flash memory.

Due to technological innovations, the amount of data being generated, stored and used around the world has increased exponentially. The flash memory market expects further growth driven by cloud services, 5G, IoT, AI and automated driving. As a result, the production of cutting-edge products in Kioxia Corporation’s Fab7 facility will continue to meet the increasing demand for memory around the world.

Under its mission of uplifting the world with memory, Kioxia is focused on cultivating the new era of memory. Kioxia remains committed to enhancing its position in the memory industry through capital investment and research and development that reflects market trends.

About Kioxia

Kioxia is a world leader in memory solutions, dedicated to the development, production and sale of flash memory and solid-state drives (SSDs). In April 2017, its predecessor Toshiba Memory was spun off from Toshiba Corporation, the company that invented NAND flash memory in 1987. Kioxia is committed to uplifting the world with memory by offering products, services and systems that create choice for customers and memory-based value for society. Kioxia's innovative 3D flash memory technology, BiCS FLASH™, is shaping the future of storage in high-density applications, including advanced smartphones, PCs, SSDs, automotive and data centers.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210224006230/en/

Contacts
Kota Yamaji
Public Relations
Kioxia Holdings Corporation
+81-3-6478-2319
kioxia-hd-pr@kioxia.com

Permalink : https://www.aetoswire.com/news/kioxia-commences-construction-of-new-fabrication-facility-at-yokkaichi-plant-to-support-sixth-generation-3d-flash-memory-production/en

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Yokogawa and ICQ Consultants Enter Into Partnership Agreement for Biopharmaceutical Business

-Alliance enables support for bioreactor systems and related products in the United States-

TOKYO & SOUTHBOROUGH, Mass.-Wednesday 24 February 2021 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Yokogawa Electric Corporation (TOKYO:6841) (Yokogawa) and Integrated Commissioning and Qualification Consultants, Corp. (ICQ Consultants) of Southborough announce that they have entered into a partnership agreement under which ICQ Consultants will provide consulting and engineering services for the installation, maintenance, qualification, and support of Yokogawa's bioreactor systems and related products in the United States.

As a result of the COVID pandemic, the global biopharmaceutical market has been growing at an unprecedented rate, with significant investments being made in diagnostics, vaccine development, and medical devices to test and treat the coronavirus. These investments have driven demand for infrastructure in developing and manufacturing monoclonal antibody drugs and products that require mammalian cell bioreactor technologies.

Since 2007, ICQ Consultants has played an important role in the commissioning and qualification of manufacturing plants in the major life sciences hubs in the United States, including some of the world's largest biomanufacturing facilities. As part of this partnership agreement, Yokogawa will leverage ICQ Consultants’ engineering and laboratory expertise in the biopharmaceutical segment to deploy its new bioprocess technologies in the United States. The first portfolio product, the Advanced Control Bioreactor System BR1000 was recently released on January 8, offering significant performance advantages over existing methods for biologics development.

The automation of manual processes is a rapidly advancing trend in the biopharmaceutical industry. For complete automation of the fed-batch mammalian cell culture process, the control of glucose -- a key nutrient source -- is critical. Through in-line sensing and model predictive control software, and automated feeding, a stable concentration of glucose in bioreactors can be achieved. The BR1000 automates lab-scale mammalian cell culture with highly accurate real-time monitoring and advanced process control.

Michael Bogan, president of ICQ Consultants, commented, "We are very excited to join Yokogawa in this strategic partnership agreement to help facilitate the support of their bioreactor systems and related products throughout the United States. As ICQ Consultants continues to expand operations across the country, we are poised to further develop lasting relationships, which has been a key factor in our ongoing success. I look forward to working with Yokogawa on this unique and collaborative opportunity.”

Hiroshi Nakao, a Yokogawa vice president and head of the company's Life Innovation Business Headquarters, added, "Driven by a clear business vision and recent successes in the life sciences, food, and pharmaceutical sectors, Yokogawa Corporation of America is also turning its attention to biologics development and manufacturing. Alliances with industry experts like ICQ Consultants are vital to gain expertise and penetration in the high growth biopharmaceutical market. ICQ Consultants’ engineering and technical knowledge in drug manufacturing will support our innovative new bioreactor and bioprocess technologies and help position Yokogawa for rapid sales and market leadership in the emerging bio-industrial autonomy sector."

For more information

Advanced Control Bioreactor System BR1000
https://www.yokogawa.com/solutions/products-platforms/life-science/bioreactor/br1000/

About ICQ Consultants

ICQ Consultants partners with leading and emerging biopharma and life sciences companies to help engineering and quality teams proactively anticipate and solve complex commissioning, qualification, and validation challenges. ICQ Consultants’ ultimate goal is to facilitate safe and timely delivery of medications and therapies to patients in need.

Applying a pragmatic approach that is anything but typical, the transparent, data-first communication and project management philosophy ensures strict adherence to continually evolving industry regulations, site-specific requirements, schedules, and budgets. ICQ Consultants gets critical CQV and quality activities done properly so client facilities can focus on saving and improving patient lives.

Since 2007, ICQ Consultants has partnered with the world's largest biopharmaceutical manufacturers and emerging life sciences companies to provide comprehensive commissioning, qualification, and validation services that accelerate the delivery of medications and therapies to patients in need.

ICQ Consultants has also built and maintained a growing database of 500+ skill-assessed CQV professionals, allowing clients to source the right blend of abilities and experience to complement in-house engineering and compliance teams.

About Yokogawa

Founded in 1915, Yokogawa engages in broad-ranging activities in the areas of measurement, control, and information. The industrial automation business provides vital products, services, and solutions to a diverse range of process industries including oil, chemicals, natural gas, power, iron and steel, and pulp and paper. With the life innovation business the company aims to radically improve productivity across the pharmaceutical and food industry value chains. The test & measurement, aviation, and other businesses continue to provide essential instruments and equipment with industry-leading precision and reliability. Yokogawa co-innovates with its customers through a global network of 114 companies spanning 62 countries, generating US$3.7 billion in sales in FY2019. For more information, please visit www.yokogawa.com.

The names of corporations, organizations, products, services and logos herein are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Yokogawa Electric Corporation or their respective holders.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/52375407/en

Contacts
Yokogawa Electric Corporation
Public Relations, Integrated Communications Center
Yokogawa-pr@cs.jp.yokogawa.com

Integrated Commissioning and Qualification Consultants, Corp.
Michael Bogan, President
mbogan@icqconsultants.com

Permalink : https://www.aetoswire.com/news/yokogawa-and-icq-consultants-enter-into-partnership-agreement-for-biopharmaceutical-business/en

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Posiflex Announces Android 10 Google Mobile Services Certification for Kiosk Platforms

Enables Enterprise MDM Platforms to Leverage Android OS and GMS Features including Google Play Store Applications

NEW TAIPEI CITY, Taiwan-Tuesday 23 February 2021 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Posiflex Technology, Inc., a world leader in the design and manufacture of retail POS, kiosk, computing, and self-service transaction peripherals, is proud to announce a new Android 10 GMS certification, applicable to the kiosk portfolio of both Posiflex and KIOSK Information Systems (KIOSK).

Posiflex CEO Owen Chen notes, “This new Android 10 GMS certification milestone is quite significant. By offering GMS Certified kiosks, it allows Google Play and other GMS applications to be installed on our Android platforms. It streamlines onboarding onto Google’s proven and secure network, while unlocking kiosk access to the full suite of applications in the Google Play Store.”

Further, as mobile devices become increasingly pervasive in delivering retail and hospitality services, corporate Mobile Device Management (MDM) platforms rely on Android or iOS compatibility to optimize efficiencies within an edge device management ecosystem. Not a problem when considering mobile devices and tablets, but robust kiosk solutions require greater durability and significantly more ability to house transaction peripherals than are provided on commercial Android tablet devices. The Android 10 GMS certified kiosk platforms are equipped with ample computing and enough USB ports to power a kiosk platform with multiple integrated transaction peripherals.

KIOSK President Kim Kenney adds, “We have seen an increased demand among major retailers and hospitality clients for Android GMS capability to access Google Play Services to register and manage their kiosk fleet within their existing infrastructure. Through the certification efforts of the Posiflex R&D Team, both KIOSK and Posiflex can now provide best-in-class self-service features that can be consistently managed through existing Android OS networks. Without question, this provides niche competitive advantage and enables us to uniquely meet important new market requirements.”

About Posiflex Group, Inc.

Posiflex has designed and manufactured world-class POS solutions for more than 30 years. Since 2016, the company has acquired KIOSK and Portwell, further expanding into self-service and embedded PC offerings. The global Posiflex Group is in place to provide world-class B2B Serviced IoT solutions. For more information: www.posiflex.com

About KIOSK Information Systems

KIOSK provides self-service automation solutions to increase operational and cost efficiencies, while enhancing the customer experience. With over 27 years of experience and >250,000+ kiosks deployed, the company is a trusted digital transformation partner for Top 100 Retailers and Fortune 500 clients. KIOSK delivers proven expertise in design engineering and manufacturing, application development, integration, and comprehensive support services. An innovative portfolio of self-service solutions paired with managed services and IoT capabilities ensure a seamless user experience. Learn more at kiosk.com, 800.509.5471.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/52378831/en

Contacts
Posiflex Group Press Contact (Taiwan): Brad Chou, marketing@posiflex.com.tw

KIOSK Press Contact (US): Cheryl Madeson, VP Marketing and Communications, cmadeson@kiosk.com

Permalink : https://www.aetoswire.com/news/posiflex-announces-android-10-google-mobile-services-certification-for-kiosk-platforms/en

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MSCI to Launch Investment Solutions as a Service in Collaboration with Microsoft

MSCI Investment Solutions as a Service will leverage Microsoft’s cloud and AI to enable investors to build better portfolios for a better world

NEW YORK-Tuesday 23 February 2021 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- MSCI Inc. (NYSE: MSCI), a leading provider of investment decision support tools and services, today announced the development of Investment Solutions as a Service for the global investment industry in collaboration with Microsoft Corp. The new service will allow institutional investors to use next generation technologies, advanced analytics and big data to help anticipate and address key strategic and investment challenges.

Built to align long-term technology and data trends with the immediate needs of investors, the service will combine Microsoft’s Cloud and AI technologies with MSCI’s extensive data sets, analytical models and deep expertise of the global investment industry to power next-generation investment decision making.

Investment Solutions as a Service will transform the investment process and experience, beginning with the following services launching in 2021:

ESG Solutions as a Service
Index Solutions as a Service
Data Management Solutions as a Service
Investment Analytics Solutions as a Service
The launch of these services reflects the increasing demand for technologies that offer “solutions as a service”, harness big data and provide customized experiences. The solutions are a part of the strategic alliance created between MSCI and Microsoft in 2020 to accelerate innovation in the global investment industry.

“The partnership with Microsoft underscores MSCI’s continued commitment to develop new and innovative investing solutions,” said Henry Fernandez, Chairman and CEO, MSCI. “We have combined Microsoft’s best of breed technology with our robust data and analytical capabilities and rigorous understanding of client challenges to create a suite of services to empower investors. From responding to the historic and unrivalled challenge of climate change, to harnessing the power of big data and innovative analytics, Investment Solutions as a Service is a milestone in powering the next generation of investment decision making.”

“MSCI and Microsoft share a commitment to accelerating innovation in the financial services industry,” said Scott Guthrie, Executive Vice President, Cloud + AI, Microsoft. “MSCI’s investment solutions, combined with the data and analytics capabilities of Microsoft Azure, will enable investment managers to harness intelligent insights needed to confidently navigate today’s global markets.”

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Solutions as a Service

With ESG firmly established as a high-priority issue for global investors and corporations, ESG Solutions as a Service will help them better understand, analyze and interpret the investment and business risks and opportunities that climate change brings. Leveraging Microsoft’s Azure and PowerBI platforms, investors will be able to evaluate industries and companies with the world’s leading ESG analytics, and corporations will be able to understand their risk assessment when compared to their peers. The service will provide detailed insights on companies’ adaptive capacity to climate change, carbon footprint measurements, as well as exposure to physical risk, including climate-related events such as hurricanes and flooding.

Index Solutions as a Service

Index Solutions as a Service will provide investors with the opportunity to create and customize indexes, marking the first time clients will have MSCI’s index construction capabilities at their fingertips. The service is aimed at delivering an insightful and efficient experience that shortens the time from market hypothesis to new customized indexes. Built on Microsoft Azure, Index Solutions as a Service leverages the insights created through MSCI’s 50+ years of index experience. It will provide clients with a seamless, self-service experience to create, back test and analyze customized indexes; compare those indexes against established benchmarks; refine their creations through an iterative process and order them from MSCI.

Data Management Solutions as a Service & Investment Analytics Solutions as a Service

With Data Management Solutions as a Service and Investment Analytics Solutions as a Service, investors can directly discover and access in a new and dynamic manner a rich and extensive store of data sets and robust analytical capabilities from MSCI’s powerful investment solutions today. MSCI will be releasing a new Developer Portal offering APIs that seamlessly integrate with clients’ existing ecosystems. Through the Developer Portal, developers and researchers can find, select and analyze historical markets data on a range of asset classes and develop their own investment solutions that meet their specific risk and portfolio construction needs.

“The launch of MSCI’s Investment Solutions as a Service is the latest example of our continuous innovation and drive to develop cutting-edge technologies,” said Jigar Thakkar, Chief Technology Officer and Head of Engineering, MSCI. “We recognize that our clients are operating in an increasingly complex environment where the need for intelligent insights for portfolio management and risk analysis has never been more important. Our new services will provide a friction-free experience with rapid self-customization and exploration of our data sets, putting power in the hands of investors like never before.”

About MSCI

MSCI is a leading provider of critical decision support tools and services for the global investment community. With over 50 years of expertise in research, data and technology, we power better investment decisions by enabling clients to understand and analyze key drivers of risk and return and confidently build more effective portfolios. We create industry-leading research-enhanced solutions that clients use to gain insight into and improve transparency across the investment process. To learn more, please visit www.msci.com.

The information contained herein (the “Information”) may not be reproduced or redisseminated in whole or in part without prior written permission from MSCI. The Information may not be used to verify or correct other data, to create any derivative works, to create indexes, risk models, or analytics, or in connection with issuing, offering, sponsoring, managing or marketing any securities, portfolios, financial products or other investment vehicles. Historical data and analysis should not be taken as an indication or guarantee of any future performance, analysis, forecast or prediction. None of the Information or MSCI index or other product or service constitutes an offer to buy or sell, or a promotion or recommendation of, any security, financial instrument or product or trading strategy. Further, none of the Information or any MSCI index is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such. The Information is provided “as is” and the user of the Information assumes the entire risk of any use it may make or permit to be made of the Information. NONE OF MSCI INC. OR ANY OF ITS SUBSIDIARIES OR ITS OR THEIR DIRECT OR INDIRECT SUPPLIERS OR ANY THIRD PARTY INVOLVED IN MAKING OR COMPILING THE INFORMATION (EACH, AN “INFORMATION PROVIDER”) MAKES ANY WARRANTIES OR REPRESENTATIONS AND, TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, EACH INFORMATION PROVIDER HEREBY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING AND TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL ANY OF THE INFORMATION PROVIDERS HAVE ANY LIABILITY REGARDING ANY OF THE INFORMATION FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, CONSEQUENTIAL (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS) OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. The foregoing shall not exclude or limit any liability that may not by applicable law be excluded or limited. Privacy notice: For information about how MSCI collects and uses personal data, please refer to our Privacy Notice at https://www.msci.com/privacy-pledge.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210222005231/en/

Contacts
Investor Inquiries
investor.relations@msci.com
Salli Schwartz, MSCI +1 212 804 5306

Media Inquiries
PR@msci.com
Sam Wang, MSCI +1 212 804 5244
Melanie Blanco, MSCI +1 212 981 1049

MSCI Global Client Service
EMEA Client Service + 44 20 7618.2222
Americas Client Service +1 888 588 4567 (toll free)
Asia Pacific Client Service + 852 2844 9333

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SadaPay Partners With IDEMIA to Revolutionize and Expand Digital Payment Services in Pakistan

KARACHI, Pakistan-Friday 19 February 2021 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- With IDEMIA’s Global Fintech Accelerator Card Program, the Pakistan-based fintech firm can now effectively scale-up its operations and offer a superior payment experience, powered by state of the art technology. As the world goes digital, payment cards are arguably the last physical touch-point between the bank and its customers. SadaPay’s approach to financial services is to offer free basic services by bypassing the high costs of physical bank branches and staff. Instead, they will be focusing on solving deep-rooted problems in Pakistan’s financial services landscape through a seamless and delightful mobile-first experience.

SadaPay was granted approval by the State Bank of Pakistan at the end of 2020 to begin pilot operations. During its pilot phase, SadaPay will offer digital payment services such as allowing users to send and receive local transfers via its app, and issue a Mastercard debit card to its customers. With time, they plan to add more features and products based on user feedback. In fact, the pre-launch demand for SadaPay has exceeded all expectations, and they have almost 200.000 individuals on their waiting list. SadaPay chose IDEMIA’s Global Fintech Accelerator Card Program in order to effectively scale-up and meet these demands.

“We are pleased to work with IDEMIA to commence and eventually scale-up our operations. With IDEMIA’s knowledge of the local market and capability to rapidly respond to our needs, it allows us to focus on our mission of delivering financial services to the wider public that are sada (simple) and inclusive1, ” said Brandon Timinsky, CEO and Founder, SadaPay.

A global leader in payments, IDEMIA currently works with over 1,900 financial institutions around the world. The Global Fintech Accelerator Card Program is a fast-track program designed to enable new entrants to the industry, such as SadaPay, to utilize IDEMIA’s unrivalled network of personalization centers and financial services to reach even more customers. With a full service, state-of-the-art card personalization center in Karachi, IDEMIA has been a trusted partner to Pakistani financial institutions for over a decade.

“As a global technology partner to the payment industry, with a strong presence in Pakistan, IDEMIA is pleased to suport SadaPay in its ambitions to grow and extend the availabity of digital payment services to even more people,” said Julia Schoonenberg, Senior Vice President (Middle East and Africa), Financial Institutions, IDEMIA.

For more information on the program, visit: https://www.idemia.com/fintech-accelerator-card-program

About SadaPay

SadaPay is bringing modern financial services to Pakistan in partnership with MasterCard. By removing the high costs of managing the physical infrastructure of traditional banks from the equation, we can pass those savings onto the customer to provide free financial services. Our mission is to eliminate the complexity of banking and make money so simple that any other way would become unthinkable. SadaPay is now operational and in its pilot phase under supervision of the regulator. The public rollout will begin once the pilot is completed.

About IDEMIA

IDEMIA, the global leader in Augmented Identity, provides a trusted environment enabling citizens and consumers alike to perform their daily critical activities (such as pay, connect and travel), in the physical as well as digital space.

Securing our identity has become mission critical in the world we live in today. By standing for Augmented Identity, an identity that ensures privacy and trust and guarantees secure, authenticated and verifiable transactions, we reinvent the way we think, produce, use and protect one of our greatest assets – our identity – whether for individuals or for objects, whenever and wherever security matters. We provide Augmented Identity for international clients from Financial, Telecom, Identity, Public Security and IoT sectors. With close to 15,000 employees around the world, IDEMIA serves clients in 180 countries.

For more information, visit www.idemia.com / Follow @IDEMIAGroup on Twitter

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1 https://sadapay.pk/starting-up-amidst-pandemic/

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210218005437/en/

Contacts
Press contact:
Palak Mehta
Havas PR
Palak.mehta@havasprme.com
+971502918191

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HALCON Unveils First Anti-Ship Cruise Missile at IDEX 2021

Designed and Developed Locally, the Smart Weapon Showcases UAE’s Heightening Weapons Development Sophistication

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates,-Monday 22 February 2021 [ AETOS Wire ]

HALCON, a regional leader in the production and supply of precision-guided weapons, today unveils its HALCON AntiShip-250 (HAS-250) cruise missile at the International Defence and Exhibition Conference (IDEX) 2021, taking place in the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi between 21-25 February.

The HAS-250 is a UAE-designed and developed surface-to-surface missile capable of travelling at speeds of up to 0.8 Mach, with a range of over 250Km. During its terminal phase, it can fly towards its target at a sea-skimming altitude of below 5m.

Engineered to provide the highest performance, the HAS-250 utilises Global Navigation Satellite and Inertial Navigation Systems (GNSS + INS) and for high accuracy targeting it is equipped with an active/passive terminal seeker and radio altimeter.

Saeed Al Mansoori, CEO of HALCON said: “Our focus on smart capabilities continue to deepen as we produce world-class products locally. The HAS-250 is a significant advancement in our quest to equip naval forces with the highest performing cruise missile system. Designed and developed by HALCON in the UAE, this weapon will assist in the active defence of the UAE’s water ways, and build on EDGE’s expanding reputation for being bold, agile, and disruptive.”

HALCON is part of the Missiles & Weapons cluster within EDGE, an advanced technology group for defence that ranks among the top 25 military suppliers in the world.

HALCON Unveils First Anti-Ship Cruise Missile at IDEX 2021

About HALCON

HALCON is a regional leader in the end-to-end manufacturing of precision-guided systems. Established in 2017, the company innovates and develops high-performance and cost-effective products. HALCON relies on a strong in-house research and development process, supported by one of the region’s most advanced testing facilities delivering high-tolerance, high-precision components, and sub-systems, finished through the company’s full assembly line services. Part of the Missiles and Weapons cluster of EDGE, the company also provide special manufacturing solutions, and automation and robotics consulting, and advisory services that help customers achieve their operational and tactical goals.

For more information, please visit https://halcon.ae/

About EDGE

EDGE is an advanced technology group established to develop agile, bold and disruptive solutions for defence and beyond. Enabling a secure future, it is dedicated to bringing innovative technologies and services to market with greater speed and efficiency.  Consolidating over 25 entities and employing more than 13,000 brilliant minds, it offers expertise across five core clusters: Platforms & Systems, Missiles & Weapons, Cyber Defence, Electronic Warfare & Intelligence and Mission Support.   Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, EDGE is a catalyst for change – set to revolutionise the industry and change its fundamentals.

For more information, visit edgegroup.ae

Contacts
EDGE Group Press Office

Thushara Mohanan

media@edgegroup.ae             

+971555080413

+971553584520     

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Sintavia Achieves AS 9100 Design and Development Certification

Company now certified in the design of critical launch and flight components


HOLLYWOOD, Fla.-Tuesday 16 February 2021 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Sintavia, LLC, a designer and additive manufacturer of critical thermal and airfoil components for the Aerospace, Defense, & Space industry, announced today that it had achieved AS 9100 approval for product design and development. The approval, which followed months of auditing the company’s past performance, allows the company to offer its flight and launch customers certified design solutions for critical components such as heat exchangers, combustors, and chassis. The latest certification adds to the company’s industry-leading set of quality accreditations.

“Over the past nine years, Sintavia has reached a number of milestones as we have developed the market for critical, additively manufactured components for the Aerospace, Defense, & Space industry,” said Alex Bencomo, Sintavia’s Vice President of Operations. “AS 9100 accreditation for design and development continues this trend. Customers can now be assured that not only does Sintavia possess the capability to design and develop their critical components, but also that it maintains the processes needed to conform these parts to rigorous quality standards.”

In addition to AS 9100 certification for the design and manufacture of aviation components, Sintavia is certified to ISO 17025 and ISO 14001 standards, and holds Nadcap accreditations in additive manufacturing, heat treatment, and mechanical testing.

About Sintavia

Sintavia designs and 3D prints a new generation of flight and launch products for the Aerospace, Defense & Space industry. The company's ability to design and serially produce thermally engineered components with complex structural walls of less than 150 microns has unlocked a level of performance impossible to achieve using traditional manufacturing methods. With 26 high-speed printers co-located alongside precision post processing equipment, a full complement of mechanical testing equipment, and a full metallurgical and powder laboratory, Sintavia is able to optimize parameters, serially manufacture, and audit quality parts for aerospace applications. A founding member of the Additive Manufacturer Green Trade Association, Sintavia is committed to the highest quality standards in the industry and holds multiple Nadcap and other aerospace accreditations. For more information visit http://www.sintavia.com.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210216005304/en/

Contacts
Sintavia, LLC
Lindsay Lewis, Marketing Manager
+1 954.474.7800

 

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Thales Laser on Mars 2020 Mission: Three Days to Touchdown

PARIS LA DÉFENSE-Tuesday 16 February 2021 [ AETOS Wire ]

On 18 February, when the Perseverance rover lands on Mars, the Thales laser will enter service as part of SuperCam, the ‘eyes’ of the rover, to determine the chemical and organic composition of Martian rock samples.

The Thales laser at the heart of the SuperCam instrument, which is even more powerful than the laser that has been operating for the last eight years on the Curiosity mission, will help to look for potential signs of life on the Red Planet.

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- On 18 February, the Perseverance rover — a key component of the Mars 2020 mission — will touch down on the Red Planet after a long seven-month voyage. SuperCam, one of seven strategic onboard instruments, is a powerful combination of technologies designed to analyse, characterise and select Martian rock samples. SuperCam is the result of close collaboration between Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in the United States and the astrophysics and planetology research institute in France (IRAP, CNRS / CNES / Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier), with contributions from the University of Hawaii and the University of Valladolid in Spain. The Mast Unit, the French part of SuperCam located at the top of the rover’s mast, was designed and built by a consortium of French laboratories1 from CNRS, universities and entities under the scientific lead of the IRAP team and under the responsibility of CNES, the French space agency. The laser supplied by Thales is a key part of the Mast Unit.

In 2012, Curiosity landed on Mars equipped with the first high-power laser to operate on the surface of another planet, a laser designed and developed by Thales for the ChemCam instrument. The ChemCam laser has been operating faultlessly for over eight years and has fired close to 855,000 shots to date as Curiosity has made its 24-kilometre trek across the surface of the Red Planet. Data from ChemCam has already helped to prove that conditions on Mars were once suitable for microbial life.

The SuperCam instrument, a new and more powerful version of ChemCam, is designed to take Mars exploration to a new level. Like ChemCam, the SuperCam laser will use an infrared beam to heat material to a temperature of around 10,000°C and vaporise it — a method called laser induced breakdown spectroscopy. Coupled with a special camera, this makes it possible to determine the chemical composition of Martian rock samples by measuring the colours of light in the plasma created.

Unlike ChemCam, however, the SuperCam laser can also emit a green laser beam, which will help determine the molecular composition of surface materials. This green beam excites the chemical bonds in samples and produces a different signal according to their various linked components. This analysis technique, known as Raman spectroscopy, will be tested for the first time on Mars and will enable scientists to detect any markers of life. The green laser will also be used to induce fluorescence in mineral and organic compounds, allowing scientists to determine their constituent components with greater accuracy.

“We’re proud to have provided NASA with the first two lasers to operate on Mars. The Mars 2020 mission is a decisive step forward in the study of the Red Planet and preparations for future expeditions. SuperCam, the ‘eyes’ of Perseverance, is the result of close collaboration between partners across the international scientific community. Thales's SuperCam laser delivers unrivalled performance and will enable Perseverance to perform its exploration mission throughout its time on the surface of Mars.” Christophe Salomon, Executive Vice President, Land and Air Systems

About Mars 2020

The goal of the Mars 2020 mission is to study the Red Planet’s surface, search for signs of past life, take rock and dust samples at selected sites and store them for retrieval by the future Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission, which will be conducted jointly with the European Space Agency. Thales Alenia Space is closely involved in the MSR mission.

The Mars 2020 mission is designed to gather the necessary knowledge and test the technologies that will be vital for future human expeditions to the Red Planet.

How to produce oxygen from the Martian atmosphere? What resources are available? Is there water beneath the surface, for example? How to improve landing techniques and characterise weather conditions, dust levels and other environmental conditions that could affect the life and work of future astronauts on Mars? These are just some of the questions the Perseverance mission will seek to answer.

About Thales lasers

For more than 35 years, Thales has been a world leader in design, development and manufacturing of high energy nanosecond lasers for industrial applications and the most powerful ultra-short Ti:Sa femtosecond laser systems for leading scientific applications with peak power up to 10 petawatts.

Thales provides the most reliable and easy-to-use products, a unique combination of technological expertise and robustness for implementation into industrial applications that require highest availability such as laser annealing, laser lift-off, laser shock peening and cutting of composites for various industries such as aerospace, microelectronics, flat panel displays and many others. Thales provides also a full range of services, which are optimized to support each customer.

About Thales

Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global technology leader shaping the world of tomorrow today. The Group provides solutions, services and products to customers in the aeronautics, space, transport, digital identity and security, and defence markets. With 83,000 employees in 68 countries, Thales generated sales of €19 billion in 2019 (on a pro forma basis including Gemalto over 12 months). Thales is investing in particular in digital innovations — connectivity, Big Data, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity — technologies that support businesses, organisations and governments in their decisive moments.

PLEASE VISIT

Thales Group

[1] The Irap ; the Laboratoire d’études spatiales et d’instrumentation en astrophysique (LESIA, Observatoire de Paris-PSL/CNRS/SU/Université de Paris) ; the Laboratoire d’astrophysique de Bordeaux (LAB, CNRS/Université de Bordeaux) ; the Laboratoire « atmosphères et observations spatiales » (LATMOS, CNRS/SU/UVSQ) ; l’Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP, CNRS/IRD/Météo-France/Université de Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier) ; the Institut d’astrophysique spatiale (IAS, CNRS/Université Paris-Saclay).

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210215005423/en/

Contacts
PRESS
Thales, Media Relations
Group and Innovation
Alice Pruvot
+33 (0)7 70 27 11 37
alice.pruvot@thalesgroup.com

Thales Alenia Space, Media Relations
Sandrine Bielecki
+33 (0)4 92 92 70 94
sandrine.bielecki@thalesgroup.com

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Ekata Reveals Significant 2020 Growth and Rapid Global Expansion

Digital identity verification leader roars into 2021 despite unprecedented year globally

 

SEATTLE-Thursday 11 February 2021 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Ekata, the global leader in digital identity verification data, today recapped a remarkably successful 2020 despite the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. The company significantly grew its global customer base and revenues, gained momentum in the financial services and payments sector, expanded its product portfolio, and drove significant growth in Europe and Asia-Pacific through its global offices and data infrastructure.

“2020 was a banner year for our business, one in which we outperformed all but 11 of the S&P 500 companies in revenue growth and profit. This is perhaps best captured by our 117% net customer revenue retention rate and 33% growth in revenues,” said CEO Rob Eleveld. “With the first 12 weeks of the pandemic creating more growth in online business than the previous five years combined, the global demand for enterprise grade digital identity verification solutions has never been higher. We see continued opportunities for long-term customer growth and product innovation in identity verification for payments, financial services, and eCommerce.”

Ekata benefitted from the rapidly accelerated adoption of eCommerce by consumers forced to stay at home during the pandemic, leading directly to an increase in demand among global eCommerce providers for customer onboarding and fraud prevention solutions. In addition, a rapidly changing regulatory environment in the financial services and payments industry has led to increased demand for identity verification solutions, particularly in pre-credit-card-authorization use cases in Europe.

These factors and others contributed to Ekata’s outstanding 2020 performance. Key metrics include:

  • Added over 300 new customers to its growing, global customer base, that now includes:

    • Postmates and 4 other leading, high growth consumer marketplaces

    • 5 of the largest e-retailers globally and 8 of the top 10 in the US

    • The 5 largest travel/hospitality companies worldwide

  • Increased momentum in the financial services sector in 2020. Customers now include:

    • Checkout.com, which contributed to 42% growth in Ekata’s global payments business

    • 5 of the leaders in cryptocurrency

    • The top 5 buy now, pay later providers, including Klarna

  • Ekata’s Identity Network saw 16B+ identity elements received through 6.2B+ globally distributed monthly queries and growing.

  • Transaction volumes in 2020 grew 170% in EMEA and 151% in APAC compared to 2019, as reflected in calls to the Ekata Identity Engine.

  • Significant growth in the company’s product portfolio, infrastructure, and people, including:

    • The introduction of 3 new products for its global markets: Transaction Risk API 2.0Account Opening API, and Address Risk API 4.0

    • The opening of its Asia-Pacific office and the launching of its third data center in Singapore, supporting rapid growth in the region and API delivery to any customer, anywhere in the world, in under 50 milliseconds.

    • A 55% increase in global staff to support the explosive growth of Ekata’s global go-to-market and customer needs.

Digital identity verification is key to offering more inclusive and frictionless experiences while ensuring customer privacy, control, and security. According to Steven D'Alfonso, research director, IDC Financial Insights, "The COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating investments in — and demand for — advanced identity offerings and services as online and mobile banking services expand.” Following a successful 2020, Ekata is well equipped to meet the increasing demands and innovation of global financial institutions, payment companies, and eCommerce providers.

About Ekata

Ekata provides global identity verification via APIs and a SaaS solution to provide businesses worldwide the ability to link any digital transaction to the human behind it. The Ekata product suite is powered by the Ekata Identity Engine, our proprietary, intellectual property, that uses unique datasets from the Ekata Identity Graph and the Ekata Identity Network that provides identity verification data with consistent results across the globe, in industry-leading response times, to enable businesses around the world like AliPay, Microsoft, Stripe, and Airbnb to fight fraud, reduce false declines, and make accurate risk decisions about their customers in fractions of a second.

Ekata is a trademark of Ekata, Inc. All other trade names, trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210210005344/en/

 

 


Contacts

Danielle Capers
Voxus PR
253-225-5178
dcapers@voxuspr.com

 

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Honeywell and IDEMIA Announce Strategic Alliance to Develop Intelligent Building Offering

• Integrates Honeywell security and building management systems with IDEMIA’s biometric-based access control systems to create a more seamless experience for buildings of the future

ATLANTA-Thursday 11 February 2021 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Honeywell (NYSE: HON), a global leader in connected buildings, and IDEMIA, the global leader in Augmented Identity, today announced a strategic alliance to create and cultivate an intelligent building ecosystem that provides a more seamless and enhanced experience for operators and occupants alike. The alliance will integrate Honeywell’s security and building management systems with IDEMIA’s biometric-based access control systems to create frictionless, safer and more efficient buildings.

The Honeywell and IDEMIA alliance is intended to design solutions that will allow occupants to easily and securely have contactless engagement with a building – from vehicle recognition at the car park and automatic elevator calls to biometric-based access and personalized conference room settings. With a focus on security and data privacy, these next-generation solutions will provide occupants with a safer, more efficient and more enjoyable experience that will help building owners attract tenants.

“We recognize that our customers need to deliver business outcomes like managing complex security requirements and providing healthier, more productive environments,” said Manish Sharma, vice president, chief technology and chief product officer for Honeywell Building Technologies. “By working with IDEMIA we will create an intelligent building ecosystem that better addresses our customers’ key challenges and drives their desired outcomes. Whether it’s a commercial office building, a hospital or an airport, we have the ability to change the way people experience and interact with buildings for the better.”

“We look forward to expanding our long-standing relationship with Honeywell to bring greater value to our customers with more integrated solutions that make for a more seamless building experience,” said Matt Cole, CEO, Secure Enterprise Transactions Division, IDEMIA. “The ability for our technology to easily integrate with Honeywell safety and security systems will provide building owners and operators more insight and control into creating more efficient buildings, while putting the occupant experience first.”

IDEMIA’s field-proven AI-based products and solutions -- like MorphoWaveTM, a contactless fingerprint device that scans four fingerprints in less than one second; VisionPass, the most advanced facial recognition terminal; or Augmented Vision, a biometric video analytics platform -- integrate with Honeywell security and building management systems. Honeywell’s systems include Pro-Watch Integrated Security Suite, MAXPRO Cloud and Enterprise Buildings Integrator.

Honeywell and IDEMIA will work together to deliver more powerful integrations through aligned product creation and joint product roadmaps. The integrated offerings will allow building operators to respond rapidly and effectively to alarms or incidents by providing an incident workflow package that allows Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to be configured, reducing compliance exceptions, security risks and response times.

IDEMIA products also support Honeywell’s Healthy Buildings solutions that help building owners improve building environments, operate more cleanly and safely and encourage sustained compliance with changing building standards, safety guidelines, government-issued regulations and a company's risk management policies. Honeywell's Healthy Buildings solutions provide a holistic view of a building's health based on key factors such as indoor air quality, occupant flow, personal protection equipment (PPE) analytics, contactless access, thermal screening, social distancing and sanitation efficacy.

To learn more about Honeywell and IDEMIA collaborations click here.

 

About IDEMIA

IDEMIA, the global leader in augmented identity, provides a trusted environment enabling citizens and consumers alike to perform their daily critical activities (such as pay, connect and travel), in the physical as well as digital space.

Securing our identity has become mission critical in the world we live in today. By standing for augmented identity, an identity that ensures privacy and trust and guarantees secure, authenticated and verifiable transactions, we reinvent the way we think, produce, use and protect one of our greatest assets – our identity – whether for individuals or for objects, whenever and wherever security matters. We provide augmented identity for international clients from financial, telecom, identity, public security and IoT sectors.

With close to 15,000 employees around the world, IDEMIA serves clients in 180 countries.

For more information, visit www.idemia.com or follow @IDEMIAGroup on Twitter.

About Honeywell Building Technologies

Honeywell Building Technologies (HBT) is a global business with more than 18,000 employees. HBT creates products, software and technologies found in more than 10 million buildings worldwide. Commercial building owners and operators use our technologies to help create safe, energy efficient, sustainable and productive facilities. For more news and information on Honeywell Building Technologies, visit http://www.honeywell.com/newsroom.

Honeywell (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 technology company that delivers industry specific solutions that include aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings and industry; and performance materials globally. Our technologies help aircraft, buildings, manufacturing plants, supply chains, and workers become more connected to make our world smarter, safer, and more sustainable. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywell.com/newsroom.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210210005454/en/

Contacts
Media:
Honeywell
Telleen Gegner
(404) 545-6132
Telleen.Gegner@Honeywell.com

IDEMIA
Havas Paris PR Agency
+33 6 63 73 30 30
idemia@havas.com

 

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IDEMIA Announces Corporate Partnership With Fintech Australia

SYDNEY-Thursday 11 February 2021 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- IDEMIA, the global leader in Augmented Identity, has signed a corporate partnership with Fintech Australia, a trade association that seeks to boost growth of the country’s Fintech ecosystem.

As a global leader in payment card issuance, payment solutions, security and identity management technologies, IDEMIA will draw on its best-in-class R&D and experience to provide key support for Fintech Australia’s events, awards and community activities.

Rebecca Schot-Guppy, General Manager of Fintech Australia said: “We welcome IDEMIA to our partnership programme and look forward to further integrating the company with the Australian Fintech community. Fintech Australia has signed up a myriad of major corporate partners in the past year, and hence our cooperation with IDEMIA is essential to growing our ecosystem and forming collaborations that will help Fintech firms step up growth.”

As a global leader in Fintech innovation, IDEMIA invests in the future of payments with proprietary solutions including Greenpay Sustainable Payments (seeking a payment community environmental paradigm shift) and the Fintech Accelerator Card Program (supporting Fintechs and neobanks with a dedicated programme from onboarding to card issuance). In Australia, IDEMIA was awarded “Innovation Partner of the Year” in 2018 by Westpac, the country’s POS consumer and business payment market leader.

IDEMIA offers a comprehensive range of innovative payment solutions and services underpinned by convenience, flexibility and – above all – security. Such goods and services include eco-friendly cards (Greenpay), metal cards, Smart Digital solutions including digital pins, and digital inserts) and IDEMIA Connect (which enhances customer experience by simply tapping the card to phone to activate their cards).

Ben Scott, VP of Financial Institutions, IDEMIA Australasia said: “With our comprehensive services, global footprint and payments experience, we are ideally placed to support fast changing payment trends and help Fintechs meet their goals. We’re excited about our partnership with Fintech Australia – especially since ongoing innovation and digital services take-up will be driven by Fintechs. We really look forward to teaming up with more Australian Fintech firms so that we get an idea how we can best use our technologies to enhance not only their services, but also how our technologies can be rolled out to other industries.”

About IDEMIA

IDEMIA, the global leader in Augmented Identity, provides a trusted environment enabling citizens and consumers alike to perform their daily critical activities (such as pay, connect and travel), in the physical as well as digital space.

Securing our identity has become mission critical in the world we live in today. By standing for Augmented Identity, an identity that ensures privacy and trust and guarantees secure, authenticated and verifiable transactions, we reinvent the way we think, produce, use and protect one of our greatest assets – our identity – whether for individuals or for objects, whenever and wherever security matters. We provide Augmented Identity for international clients from Financial, Telecom, Identity, Public Security and IoT sectors. With close to 15,000 employees around the world, IDEMIA serves clients in 180 countries.

For more information, visit www.idemia.com / Follow @IDEMIAGroup on Twitter

About Fintech Australia

Fintech Australia is a member driven organization that is building an ecosystem for Australian Fintechs to advance the global economy and culture We are here to build a strong community, foster connections while supporting innovation and regulation that our members require. Above all else, we are here to be the voice of the Australian Fintech community.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210210005852/en/

Contacts
Media
Harrison Polites
harrison@themediaaccelerator.com.au
0409 623 618

IDEMIA:
REDHILL Communications
Felicia Chiriac
felicia.chiriac@redhill.asia

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Global Automotive Mobility Study from Arthur D. Little highlights market uncertainty

LONDON-Thursday 11 February 2021 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Key findings include:

• Overall demand for vehicles has fallen, with environmental considerations a key factor

• Drivers are increasingly considering the move to electric, but choice and infrastructure remain issues

• Enthusiasm for autonomous vehicles has dimmed, though China remains positive

• Chinese consumers are markedly more positive about new mobility services and EVs compared to the rest of the world

• Manufacturers need to better anticipate changes in vehicle demand and ownership profile

Arthur D. Little (ADL) today released the third edition of its Global Automotive Mobility Study. Entitled ‘The Future Of Automotive Mobility’ and based on a global survey of over 8,500 end customers in 13 countries, it shows that global automotive markets are currently at a crossroads. While the study identifies that the internal combustion engine still dominates the market, many vehicle owners are weighing up the pros and cons of going electric – as a result, there is confusion about where the automotive sector is heading and at what speed.

Whereas ADL’s previous Global Automotive Mobility Study in 2018 depicted a ‘business as usual’ industry only just taking its first steps towards electric, the mobility landscape three years later is markedly different. For example, there has been a dramatic change in both demand for cars and how ownership of them is perceived – while the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the protection and independence that a private car offers, a significant number of people are contemplating giving them up for environmental reasons and embracing alternative transport solutions. The auto industry’s 2% compound annual growth rate is much less than ADL’s last survey predicted.

The study also shows that the move away from petrol and diesel fueled vehicles is real and growing stronger – asked about their next vehicle, 29% of survey respondents favored a hybrid product, while 12% were considering the move to pure electric. And if established brands don't provide an EV offering, many of their customers are ready to migrate to other manufacturers. However, market growth is hampered by both limited model range and an immature charging infrastructure, with vehicle range still dictated by the availability of public charging points.

One of the study’s most intriguing findings is the emergence of China as a ‘special market’ with markedly different attitudes to consumers in the rest of the world. For instance, while excitement over self-driving autonomous vehicles has dimmed in both Europe and the US due to safety fears, 71% of Chinese drivers remain positive about using such vehicles. They are also more adventurous in trying new powertrains, mobility services, and even purchase options – 71% of drivers in China would be willing to buy a car wholly online, against 35% in Europe and 42% in the US. Given the size of China’s domestic market, these attitudes could have significant implications for the global automotive industry.

Klaus Schmitz, co-author of the study and Partner in ADL’s Automotive and Manufacturing Practice, comments: “While the global automotive industry isn’t exactly in turmoil, the findings of this study definitely indicate significant turbulence, plus an uncertainty about the speed and direction of the market. Established trends are meeting new, emerging ones, which has inevitably led to a state of flux. We believe that the industry faces four main market-related challenges: how to better anticipate changes in vehicle demand and ownership profile; how to better transition towards electric; how to profitably grow the mobility services segment; and how to optimize the new value chain.”

Wolf-Dieter Hoppe, co-author of the study and Partner in ADL’s Automotive and Manufacturing Practice, adds: “Given the degree of uncertainty in the sector, the automotive industry needs to develop a better understanding of the modern driver’s priorities if it is to fully exploit electric’s potential and counter concerns over autonomous vehicles. This will require an evaluation of current investments and an informed calculation about how markets and the value chain will look in ten years. For those manufacturers who get this right, there will be significant opportunities.”

The study is available for download here: www.adlittle.com/TheFutureofAutomotiveMobility

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210211005393/en/

Contacts
Further information from:
Sue Glanville / Cate Bonthuys
Catalyst Comms
+44 7715 817589
info@catalystcomms.co.uk

 

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Brightcove Expands Its Unmatched, End-to-End Video Platform With the Launch of Cloud Playout

The Leader in Video for Business Continues to Deliver New Innovations and Value for Customers such as AMC, BookMyShow, and SXSW

 

BOSTON-Wednesday 10 February 2021 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Brightcove Inc. (NASDAQ: BCOV), the global leader in video for business, today announced the launch of Brightcove Cloud Playout, a new feature that enhances Brightcove’s end-to-end video platform and makes it one of the few online video providers to offer this capability. Brightcove helps propel businesses forward through video, offering a complete video ecosystem with cutting edge technology, tools, incomparable knowledge, and customer support. The launch of Cloud Playout strengthens Brightcove’s Technology and Engineering Emmy® Award-winning offerings by enabling customers to save even more time and money by consolidating all video needs on a single platform.

Brightcove Cloud Playout is a brand new feature of Brightcove Video Cloud that enables content owners and organizations to quickly and seamlessly program a scheduled playout of both on-demand video assets and live footage or events into a single stream. This provides a broadcast-grade “live TV” experience that leverages pre-recorded content to increase audience engagement and create new revenue opportunities. Customers also benefit from a highly streamlined workflow, as every possible video need is met within Brightcove’s singular all-inclusive platform.

Early adopters of this capability include long-time Brightcove client AMC, as well as global entertainment destination BookMyShow, and more. In March 2021, SXSW Online will be the first Brightcove customer to utilize Cloud Playout for its conference and festivals.

“Horror genre enthusiasts are die-hard fans, and with COVID-19 impacting Halloween celebrations we decided to host ShudderFest, a simulive 24-hour event just for them," said Mike Zagari, EP of ShudderFest. "With Brightcove's Cloud Playout, we were able to quickly pull together our content lineup and save time on our video workflows, as well as reach our global fan base by easily looping the event for every time zone around the world."

"As the ubiquitous platform for all things entertainment, BookMyShow offers several live event formats across music, comedy, theatricals performances and much more with the entire repertoire being available virtually both as both live events and pre-recorded ones such as Sunburn Home Festival, Rambo Circus and international artists including Willie Gomez, The Buckleys, Taylor Castro to name a few hosted on our live entertainment platform BookMyShow Online, powered by Brightcove,” said Parikshit Dar, Co-founder and Director, BookMyShow. "With Brightcove’s newest feature, Cloud Playout, we have been able to be a lot more flexible with our programming, and we finally have an end-to-end platform for our growing video needs."

“Since Brightcove’s inception, video innovation has been a key priority for us, and Cloud Playout demonstrates our commitment to providing our customers with the best technology and tools to help them succeed with video,” said Namita Dhallan, Chief Product Officer of Brightcove. “Cloud Playout is the next innovation in our platform, and by enabling customers to streamline the management and playout of content within a single solution, we’re saving them the additional costs and security risks of utilizing third party apps, while still providing the scalability to reach audiences around the globe, on their schedule.”

With over 50 industry-defining patents, Brightcove lives and breathes video. The company provides its game-changing video capabilities to over 3,300 customers globally. This roster includes industry leaders spanning verticals, from media titans like Showtime Networks and Vox Media, food and beverage giants such as Chick-Fil-A and Dunkin Brands, authorities in entertainment like the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, virtual education company MasterClass, sports partners like the USGA, and many more.

About Brightcove

When video is done right, it can have a powerful and lasting effect. Hearts open. Minds change. Creativity thrives. Since 2004, Brightcove has been helping customers discover and experience the incredible power of video through its award-winning technology, empowering organizations in more than 70 countries across the globe to touch audiences in bold and innovative ways.

Brightcove achieves this by developing technologies once thought impossible, providing customer support without parallel or excuses, and leveraging the expertise and resources of a global infrastructure. Video is the world’s most compelling, exciting medium. Visit www.brightcove.com for more information. Video That Means Business.™

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210209005733/en/

 

 


Contacts

Meredith Duhaime
Senior PR Manager, Brightcove
mduhaime@brightcove.com


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PTW Announces Business Acquisition of LA-Based Art Powerhouse, 5518 Studios

PTW will now offer high-end games art with their business acquisition of 5518 Studios.

SAN FRANCISCO-Friday 12 February 2021 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- PTW continues on their mission to be the go-to partner for innovation in the games industry with the business acquisition of premier art studio 5518 Studios. The industry-leading video games and tech services outsourcer announced their business acquisition of Los Angeles-based 5518 Studios; PTW is a long-time industry leader with an established and diverse dossier of top-tier clients and nearly 3 decades of experience in the games industry. PTW’s work spans across all platforms and all genres.

5518’s expertise ranges from high-quality concept & illustration art to character modeling & animation, along with everything in-between; PTW’s expansion ensures a greater range of skills, depth of talent, and overall expertise for their partners across the globe. Today’s announcement is an exciting step forward in PTW’s mission to provide full end-to-end co-development services to partners in the growing global games industry.

“Our mission is to revolutionize the digital entertainment sphere; adding 5518 to our team enables us to be one of the top development studios in the world. We will merge our existing game development brand- Orange Rock Studios- with 5518 under one name; our new brand will be perfectly poised to work alongside top-notch developers and publishers, building the best games & digital experiences around the world,” said Kasturi Rangan, Chief Product Officer of PTW. “When it comes to game development, we will now be a one-stop shop for external partnerships,” Rangan concluded.

PTW will be merging both Orange Rock and 5518 under a new name- 1518 Studios. The new brand will have a much stronger offering encompassing art, end-end game development, live ops, porting, product development, and staff augmentation (across Mobile, PC & Console). Michael Casalino, CEO and Co-founder of 5518 Studios added, “Our values and mission align so well with those of PTW; we each believe in strong relationships built on trust, passion, good communication, and high-quality games services.” 5518 COO and CO-founder Maxim Miheyenko concluded, “We are so excited to join the PTW family of brands.”

PTW CEO Deborah Kirkham concluded, “We are happy to welcome 5518 Studios and our new teams in Los Angeles, St. Petersburg, and Moscow to the PTW family. Expanding our global presence in the games industry is an important step in our mission of providing the best talent and the best technology to our partners around the world. Michael, Maxim, and their teams provide a level of expertise and energy which we can’t wait to bring to our partners.”

About PTW

PTW is a leading games, digital entertainment and interactive media solutions provider with 35 offices in 11 countries worldwide. Our range of services include quality assurance, localization, customer experience, engineering and development services, and audio production services. PTW brings nearly 3 decades of experience and the infrastructure to create customized support for projects and clients of all sizes.

PTW, comprised of global subsidiaries, is a UK-based holding company formed in 2016 under the umbrella of Poletowin Pitcrew Holdings, Inc. which is listed on the 1st Section of Tokyo Stock Exchange as 3657. POLE TO WIN is a registered trademark of Pole To Win Co., Ltd. in Japan and other countries. All rights reserved. For more information, visit https://www.ptw.com/

The PTW group includes SIDE, 1518 Studios, Entalize, The Game Dev Show, and OR Esports.

Stay connected with PTW on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210211005010/en/

Contacts
For queries related to PTW, please email:
Media Contacts:
Kaley Hurst
415-521-8709
Kaley.hurst@ptw.com

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#COMPUTEXVirtual Is Now Open for Exhibitor Registration

TAIPEI, Taiwan-Monday 8 February 2021 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Asia’s largest ICT show, COMPUTEX Taipei, is rolling out its first in Online-Merge-Offline (OMO) hybrid exhibition this year. COMPUTEX 2021 Hybrid combines the onsite exhibition with #COMPUTEXVirtual for an exceptionally vibrant, accessible, comprehensive show and customer experience. In addition, #InnoVEXVirtual will be held on a parallel track. Through the virtual experiences, COMPUTEX aims to help industry leaders and startup companies get the best exhibition performance results and greatest value.

COMPUTEX onsite Exhibition

The onsite COMPUTEX will take place at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Hall 1 & 2, from June 1-4. This year’s exhibition will revolve around seven major themes: 5G, AI & IoT, Edge Computing, High-Performance Computing (HPC), Cyber Security, Gaming, and Innovations & Startups. These themes showcase Taiwan’s historical and future supply chain dominance throughout the global ICT industry.

InnoVEX will debut at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Hall 1 (TaiNEX 1) as a global startup stage to display inventions that stand to reshape the technology landscape worldwide.

#COMPUTEXVirtual Online Exhibition

#COMPUTEXVirtual will take place from May 31-June 30 online with #InnoVEXVirtual as a part of the online show. Together, the online exhibition will highlight the following four features:

Tech Insights:
COMPUTEX Forum, InnoVEX Forum, keynote speeches from leading companies, live demonstrations and related webinars will be available via live-streaming. These resources will reveal the latest technology trends with insights into what’s next for the tech industry.

Virtual Display:
Exhibitors will showcase their products at virtual booths via videos and images. Provided contact information allows exhibitors to seize every opportunity to generate leads without the hindrance of any time differences.

Matchmaking and Networking:
Video conferencing, meeting requests and instant messaging make it possible to break down barriers across countries and establish the most effective, timely communication channels for exhibitors and buyers.

Hyper-Personalized Recommendation:
#COMPUTEXVirtual will use AI technology to identify user behaviors and provide interesting marketing strategies to exhibitors. Hyper-Personalized Recommendations will help increase the matchmaking accuracy and shape brand perception.

COMPUTEX Hybrid Webinars to be held on March 3.

#COMPUTEXVirtual and #InnoVEXVirtual are now open for registration. To demonstrate how the online events leverage cutting-edge technologies to overcome time and geographical limitations, the event organizer, Taiwan External Trade Development Council, will hold international webinars on March 3.

#COMPUTEXVirtual exhibitor registration:
https://events.taiwantrade.com/CVirtual01

#InnoVEXVirtual exhibitor registration:
https://events.taiwantrade.com/IVirtual01

COMPUTEX Hybrid Webinars:
https://events.taiwantrade.com/CVirtual02

For more update:

COMPUTEX website: https://www.computextaipei.com.tw/
InnoVEX website: https://www.innovex.com.tw/

About COMPUTEX TAIPEI (also called COMPUTEX):

Established in 1981, COMPUTEX is one of the leading global ICT, IoT, and startup tradeshows with a complete supply chain and IoT ecosystems. Co-organized by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) and Taipei Computer Association (TCA), COMPUTEX, based upon Taiwan’s complete ICT clusters, covers the whole spectrum of the ICT industry, from established brands to startups and from ICT supply chain to IoT ecosystems. With strong R&D and manufacturing capabilities and IPR protection, Taiwan is a strategic destination for foreign companies and investors looking for partners in global technology ecosystems. Follow COMPUTEX on its website at www.computextaipei.com.tw and Twitter @computex_taipei using the hashtag #COMPUTEX.

About TAITRA:

Founded in 1970, TAITRA is Taiwan's foremost nonprofit trade promoting organization. Sponsored by the government and industry organizations, TAITRA assists enterprises to expand their global reach. Headquartered in Taipei, TAITRA has a team of 1,300 specialists and operates 5 local offices in Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as 63 branches worldwide. Together with Taipei World Trade Center (TWTC) and Taiwan Trade Center (TTC), TAITRA has formed a global network dedicated to promoting world trade.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210207005039/en/

Contacts
Ms. Tessa Lin <tessalin@taitra.org.tw>
Ms. Li Chao < lichao@taitra.org.tw>

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ABB: Q4 and Full-Year 2020 Results

ZURICH-Thursday 4 February 2021 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- ABB (SWX:ABBN): Solid end to challenging year

FOURTH QUARTER 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

Orders $7.0 billion, +2%; comparable -1%1

Revenues $7.2 billion, +2%; comparable 0%

Income from operations $578 million; margin 8.0%

Operational EBITA1 $825 million; margin1 11.5%, including a combined impact of 80 basis points from the full and final Kusile settlement with Eskom in South Africa and non-core business charges

Basic EPS -$0.04; operational EPS1 $0.26, -6%

Cash flow from operating activities $1,182 million; cash flow from continuing operating activities $1,225 million after negative impacts, combined, of ~$200 million for the Kusile settlement and pension plan transfers

FULL-YEAR 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

Orders $26.5 billion, -7%; comparable -6%1

Revenues $26.1 billion, -7%; comparable -5%

Income from operations $1,593 million; margin 6.1%

Operational EBITA1 $2,899 million; margin1 11.1%, including a combined impact of 90 basis points impact from the full and final Kusile settlement and non-core business charges, and 15 basis points impact from stranded costs

Basic EPS $2.44, +261%2 including gain from Power Grids sale; operational EPS1 $0.98, -21%

Cash flow from operating activities $1,693 million; cash flow from continuing operating activities $1,875 million after approximately $1 billion outflows, in total, for pension plan transfers, Power Grids carve-out and ABB-OS and other restructuring and project related items. Adjusted to exclude the above outflows, cash flow from continuing operating activities improved by close to $550 million year-on-year

CHF 0.80 dividend per share proposed

KEY FIGURES

 

 

CHANGE

 

 

CHANGE

($ millions, unless otherwise indicated)

Q4 2020

Q4 2019

US$

Comparable

FY 2020

FY 2019

US$

Comparable

Orders

7,003

6,886

+2%

-1%

26,512

28,588

-7%

-6%

Revenues

7,182

7,068

+2%

0%

26,134

27,978

-7%

-5%

Income from operations

578

648

-11%

 

1,593

1,938

-18%

 

Operational EBITA1

825

710

+16%

+12%3

2,899

3,107

-7%

-8%3

as % of operational revenues

11.5

10.1

+1.4 pts

 

11.1

11.1

0 pts

 

Net income (loss) attributable to ABB

-79

325

n.a.

 

5,146

1,439

+258%

 

Basic EPS ($)

-0.04

0.15

n.a.

 

2.44

0.67

+261%2

 

Operational EPS ($)1

0.26

0.27

-6%2

-10%2

0.98

1.24

-21%2

-22%2

Cash flow from operating activities4

1,182

1,911

-38%

 

1,693

2,325

-27%

 

Cash flows from operating activities in continuing operations

1,225

1,454

-16%

 

1,875

1,899

-1%

 

“In the fourth quarter, market conditions improved compared to the third quarter. That said, some key end-markets remained challenging, input costs rose, and uncertainty due to COVID-19 related restrictions increased as the quarter progressed. Orders were broadly stable year-on-year, supported by large orders received from Industrial Automation’s marine business. Operating margins benefited from a strong performance by Electrification, as well as solid delivery from Motion.”

“2020 was an extraordinary year with market developments dominated by the challenges arising from the pandemic. I am thankful for the speed and dedication with which the ABB team implemented mitigation actions, always putting the health and safety of our employees and customers first. We have taken important steps in 2020 by launching the ABB Way decentralized operating model, our long-term sustainability strategy and have started the process to exit three divisions. With our clear strategy, excellent technology base and stronger financial position, ABB is well positioned for 2021 and beyond.” said Björn Rosengren, CEO of ABB.

Q4 2020 Group results

Summary

Fourth quarter performance was solid. Order developments in the fourth quarter were driven by good growth in short-cycle product areas, led by China. Significant large order5 wins in Industrial Automation were a highlight. Subdued services activities tempered the result. Operating margins in Electrification and Motion expanded year-on-year, aided by broadly stable volumes and good cost mitigation, while performance in Industrial Automation and Robotics & Discrete Automation was held back by negative mix effects and in Industrial Automation, specific project charges. Actions taken to improve long-term profitability, strengthen ABB’s financial flexibility and de-risk the balance sheet are also reflected in this quarters’ results.

Orders

Orders were 2 percent higher (1 percent lower comparable) in the quarter compared to the prior year period. Foreign exchange translation effects had a net positive impact of 3 percent and portfolio changes zero impact. The order backlog was $14.3 billion at the end of the quarter, up 7 percent (5 percent comparable).

Regional overview

– Orders from Europe were 8 percent lower (12 percent comparable) with mixed results at the country level. In Germany and Sweden, on a tough comparison period, orders were lower by 21 percent (26 percent comparable) and 13 percent (21 percent comparable), respectively. Orders were up in Italy by 22 percent (16 percent comparable) and Finland by 23 percent (13 percent comparable).

– Orders from the Americas were 7 percent lower (6 percent comparable), with mixed results at the country level. In the USA, orders declined by 12 percent (12 percent comparable).

– In Asia, Middle East and Africa (AMEA), orders rose 28 percent (23 percent comparable). Orders were challenged in India, down by 7 percent (9 percent comparable). These negatives were more than outweighed by excellent growth in China, up 23 percent (21 percent comparable). Also supportive was growth from South Korea, boosted by large orders5, 357 percent higher (368 percent comparable), as well as strong demand from Australia and the United Arab Emirates.

End-market overview

– In discrete industries, the group benefited from strong activity in the 3C and machine builders’ segments. On a sequential basis, there were positive signs in automotive for future capital expenditure and electric vehicle manufacturing spend. End-markets such as food & beverage continued to expand.

– Activities in the energy segments remained subdued except LNG, where ABB benefited from substantial orders for specialty LNG vessels that are scheduled for construction in later periods. Elsewhere, customers delayed service spend and invested in operations only where essential. On a sequential basis, the project pipeline for energy showed select signs of stabilization. In other customer segments such as mining, pulp and paper and water and wastewater, some capital expenditure projects went ahead during the quarter.

– In transport and infrastructure, investments in rail and renewables were healthy. Orders were strong in data centers and e-mobility. Marine activities were challenged on a day-to-day basis, particularly in service.

– Buildings demand improved sequentially; on balance residential markets outperformed non-residential.

Revenues

Revenues were up 2 percent (flat comparable) year-on-year, reflecting short-cycle product growth, mitigated by more challenged services. Foreign exchange translation effects had a net positive impact of 3 percent and portfolio changes a net negative impact of 1 percent. The book-to-bill ratio for the quarter was 0.98x1, similar to the prior year period.

Income from operations and operational EBITA

Income from operations was $578 million. The result for the quarter includes $220 million restructuring and restructuring related expenses, compared to $99 million in the prior year period. These expenses were somewhat higher than management’s guidance. Bookings mainly related to the future delivery of ABB-OS savings, synergies from GEIS’ integration, and planned performance improvements in Industrial Automation.

Operational EBITA1 was 16 percent higher (12 percent in local currencies), at $825 million. The operational EBITA margin of 11.5 percent expanded 140 basis points year-on-year. Margins were higher in Electrification and Motion, while Industrial Automation and Robotics & Discrete Automation reported lower margins on a year-on-year basis. Corporate and Other operational EBITA improved by approximately $110 million.

The operational EBITA margin includes a negative 45 basis points impact from a final settlement in South Africa with Eskom in relation to the Kusile project6, and, in addition, a negative 35 basis points impact from non-core business activities.

Net income and basic earnings per share

Group net loss attributable to ABB was -$79 million. The group recorded net financial expenses of about $200 million, of which $162 million in costs were incurred from the early repayment of bonds. In addition, non-operational pension costs were approximately $130 million. Further details on these items follows below. Income tax expense was $123 million with a 49.2 percent tax rate. Special items, such as non-operational pension charges and bond repayment costs had an approximately 21 percent impact on the tax rate. The loss in discontinued operations of $183 million primarily reflects ordinary closing balance sheet related adjustments linked to the book gain from the sale of Power Grids.

Basic EPS was -$0.04. Operational EPS of $0.261 was 6 percent2 lower year-on-year, mainly because the prior year included the operational net income from the former Power Grids business which was sold.

Cash flow from operating activities

Cash flow from operating activities in continuing operations was $1,225 million, approximately -$230 million lower on a year-on-year basis. The result reflects several material items, namely about -$115 million cash outflow to settle with Eskom for the Kusile project in South Africa, about -$85 million cash outflow to enable the transfer of certain pension plans, and further outflows for restructuring under ABB-OS and other restructuring programs.

On a year-on-year basis, cash flow was negatively impacted by unfavorable timing on tax payments and less favorable net working capital movements. Trade receivables and trade payables were less favorable than in the prior year, partly offset by lower inventory levels which supported cash generation. As a percent of revenues, net working capital was 10.5 percent at quarter end, compared to 9.5 percent for the same period end last year.

Q4 2020 business area results

All commentary by business area relates to fourth quarter results. Order and revenue commentary refers to comparable growth on a year-on-year basis, unless stated otherwise.

Electrification (EL)

KEY FIGURES

 

 

CHANGE

 

 

CHANGE

($ millions, unless otherwise indicated)

Q4 2020

Q4 2019

US$

Comparable

FY 2020

FY 2019

US$

Comparable

Orders

3,074

3,160

-3%

-2%

11,884

13,050

-9%

-6%

Order backlog

4,358

4,488

-3%

-1%

4,358

4,488

-3%

-1%

Revenues

3,356

3,238

+4%

+5%

11,924

12,728

-6%

-3%

Operational EBITA1

522

421

+24%

 

1,681

1,688

+0%

 

as % of operational revenues

15.6

13.1

+2.5 pts

14.1

13.3

+0.8 pts

 

 

 

Orders benefited from strong demand in data centers, EV charging and renewables, as well as healthy activity in sectors such as rail and food and beverages. Chemicals, oil and gas and other process industries were challenged. Buildings demand was mixed across geographies with residential activity outpacing non-residential. On a geographic basis, China and Germany were notably strong.

 

Strong backlog execution and solid short-cycle business delivered good growth in fourth quarter revenues.

 

 

Margin accretion reflects better volumes and supportive pricing. Ongoing cost savings, for example from lower travel expenses, the exit of the solar inverters business and improved performance from Installation Products and GEIS’ integration contributed positively.

Industrial Automation (IA)

KEY FIGURES

 

 

CHANGE

 

 

CHANGE

($ millions, unless otherwise indicated)

Q4 2020

Q4 2019

US$

Comparable

FY 2020

FY 2019

US$

Comparable

Orders

1,918

1,706

+12%

+9%

6,144

6,432

-4%

-4%

Order backlog

5,805

5,077

+14%

+9%

5,805

5,077

+14%

+9%

Revenues

1,545

1,683

-8%

-11%

5,792

6,273

-8%

-7%

Operational EBITA1

103

202

-49%

 

451

732

-38%

 

as % of operational revenues

6.8

12.1

-5.3 pts

7.8

11.7

-3.9 pts

 

 

 

Strong orders resulted from significant large orders5 of $645 million, mainly for specialty LNG vessels. The business saw solid activity in other industries such as mining, water and wastewater. Oil, chemicals and conventional power generation remained challenged. Orders were higher in AMEA and lower in Europe and the Americas.

 

 

Revenues declined, mainly reflecting subdued levels of book-and-bill activities; services were materially weaker as many countries entered wave two of COVID-19 and some customer industries, most notably cruise operators, were operating significantly below their normal levels.

 

 

The business was pleased to reach a full and final settlement with Eskom for the Kusile project in South Africa. Charges for legacy projects in India were also reflected in the result. Together, these items lowered operating margins by 270 basis points. Aside from these items, margins were impacted by lower volumes and unfavorable mix, predominantly related to lower services activity. In response to ongoing challenges across its markets, the divisions continue to right-size and restructure where necessary.

Motion (MO)

KEY FIGURES

 

 

CHANGE

 

 

CHANGE

($ millions, unless otherwise indicated)

Q4 2020

Q4 2019

US$

Comparable

FY 2020

FY 2019

US$

Comparable

Orders

1,552

1,602

-3%

-5%

6,574

6,782

-3%

-2%

Order backlog

3,320

2,967

+12%

+6%

3,320

2,967

+12%

+6%

Revenues

1,705

1,657

+3%

0%

6,409

6,533

-2%

-2%

Operational EBITA1

285

254

+12%

 

1,075

1,082

-1%

 

as % of operational revenues

16.8

15.4

+1.4 pts

16.8

16.6

+0.2 pts

 

 

 

The year-on-year order result reflects a tough large order5 comparison and ongoing weakness in select end-markets such as oil and gas. Demand from rail and water and wastewater segments was strong, while end-markets including metals, pulp and paper and food and beverage were healthy. Orders were solid in AMEA, broadly stable in the Americas, and softer in Europe.

 

Revenue development reflects growth from short-cycle business and strong execution of the backlog.

 

Operating margins expanded, benefiting from good cost mitigation, stable volumes and supportive mix, while noting some pressures, for example rising freight costs.

Robotics & Discrete Automation (RA)

KEY FIGURES

 

 

CHANGE

 

 

CHANGE

($ millions, unless otherwise indicated)

Q4 2020

Q4 2019

US$

Comparable

FY 2020

FY 2019

US$

Comparable

Orders

699

701

+0%

-5%

2,868

3,260

-12%

-12%

Order backlog

1,403

1,356

+3%

-2%

1,403

1,356

+3%

-2%

Revenues

801

787

+2%

-3%

2,907

3,314

-12%

-13%

Operational EBITA1

59

86

-31%

 

237

393

-40%

 

as % of operational revenues

7.3

11.0

-3.7 pts

8.2

11.9

-3.7 pts

 

 

 

Orders benefited from select robotics investments in 3C and EV-related automotive manufacturing, led by China, and good activity in general industries. Machine builders’ activity was strong. The reported order intake was affected by reversals of about $50 million, primarily in Machine Automation, adversely affecting comparable growth by about 7 percent.

 

 

Revenues were supported by positive developments in machine automation and good backlog execution in 3C and general industry, mitigated by softer automotive segment activity as the business works to shift its mix toward higher value-add smart systems and application cells.

 

 

Operating margins were tempered by unfavorable mix developments particularly the backlog revenues in robotics’ automotive segment during the quarter, which outpaced continued cost mitigation efforts. Margins also reflect management’s decision to raise research and development investments in order to drive future market leadership.

 

To improve long-term performance, a change in management in Machine Automation has been initiated.

Corporate and Other

KEY FIGURES

 

 

CHANGE

 

 

CHANGE

($ millions, unless otherwise indicated)

Q4 2020

Q4 2019

US$

FY 2020

FY 2019

US$

Orders

(240)

(283)

+43

(958)

(936)

(22)

Revenues

(225)

(297)

+72

(898)

(870)

(28)

 

Income from operations

(175)

(331)

+156

(912)

(1,118)

+206

Operational EBITA1

(144)

(253)

+109

(545)

(788)

+243

 

 

 

Corporate and Other Operational EBITA improved to -$144 million. Compared to a year ago, this reflects lower charges from non-core business activities, the elimination of stranded costs related to Power Grids’ sale and lower ongoing corporate costs.

Corporate and Other orders and revenues primarily represent intersegment eliminations.

Full-year 2020 Group results

Orders

Orders were 7 percent lower (6 percent comparable) at $26,512 million, with all business areas feeling impacts from COVID-19 related output contraction. In Robotics & Discrete Automation, COVID-19 disruption came on top of already meaningful headwinds in discrete markets, and the business areas’ orders declined 12 percent (12 percent comparable). Other business areas fared better, recording low to mid-single digit order declines on a year-on-year basis. Orders for ABB’s digital solutions grew well, with customer acceptance of remote commissioning and uptake of remote digital services swiftly accelerated by the pandemic.

Orders were 8 percent lower in Europe (7 percent comparable), 12 percent lower in the Americas (10 percent comparable) and 1 percent lower in AMEA (up 2 percent comparable), aided by robust developments in China, with stable orders (up 3 percent comparable). Service orders, which accounted for 18 percent of total orders, were 15 percent lower (14 percent comparable).

Revenues

Revenues were 7 percent lower (5 percent lower comparable) at $26,134 million. Revenues were subdued in all business areas. Motion’s revenues were 2 percent lower (2 percent comparable) and Electrification’s 6 percent lower (3 percent comparable). Industrial Automation revenues declined 8 percent (7 percent comparable), while Robotics & Discrete Automation revenues fell 12 percent (13 percent comparable). Revenues declined across all regions, led by the Americas. Service revenues were 9 percent lower (9 percent comparable), representing 19 percent of group revenues, with mobility constraints introduced to contain the advance of COVID-19 precluding works.

Income from operations and operational EBITA

Income from operations was $1,593 million, declining 18 percent year-on-year. The result for the year includes restructuring and restructuring related expenses of $410 million, an approximately $300 million goodwill impairment, as well as approximately $200 million of charges due to changes in obligations related to divested businesses.

Operational EBITA1 of $2,899 million was 7 percent below the prior year period. The operating margin of 11.1 percent was stable, supported by execution of efficiency measures, particularly in Electrification, and cost reductions across all business areas. Corporate and Other operational EBITA improved by $243 million.

Net income and basic earnings per share

Group net income attributable to ABB was $5,146 million. Net income benefited from net income from discontinued operations of $4.9 billion, mainly reflecting the book gain from the sale of Power Grids.

The group recorded net financial expenses1 of $351 million, of which $162 million in costs were incurred from the early repayment of bonds. In addition, non-operational pension costs were $401 million, driven by various pension plan transfers. Further details on these items follows below. Income tax expense was $496 million, equivalent to a 59 percent tax rate. Certain non-deductible pension costs, bond repayment costs and goodwill impairments increased the tax rate by 33 percent.

Basic EPS of $2.44 was up 261 percent on a year-on-year basis. Operational EPS of $0.981 was 21 percent2 lower compared to the prior year period.

Cash flow from operating activities

Cash flow from operating activities in continuing operations was $1,875 million in 2020, compared to $1,899 million in 2019. The 2020 result includes a total of approximately $1 billion outflows incurred from ABB’s transformation efforts, namely the carve-out of the Power Grids business and the implementation of the ABB-OS simplification program and other restructuring programs, plus costs to transfer certain pension plans as well as outflows to settle with Eskom in South Africa. If these impacts are excluded in both periods, the year-on-year cash flow development would have been stronger by close to $550 million. Cash flow developments also reflect lower business activities over the year, while net working capital movements developed favorably.

Cash flow from discontinued operations, with the Power Grids business divested on July 1, 2020, was a negative -$182 million, compared to an inflow of $426 million in 2019. The group’s total cash flow from operating activities, covering continuing and discontinued operations, was $1,693 million.

Strategic highlights

Implemented ABB Way

During 2020, management reached key milestones to focus and simplify ABB that were established in the fourth quarter of 2018. The Power Grids business was divested, as planned, on July 1, 2020, crystallizing value for shareholders and strengthening the group’s focus on industrial customers. A decentralized operating model, with divisions as the highest operating level at ABB, was introduced at the start of Q3 2020, alongside a robust scorecard and performance management process. The company’s intention to divest three high quality divisions at full value is progressing according to plan.

Management was pleased to achieve the group’s targeted $500 million net savings per annum through the ABB-OS simplification program during the fourth quarter of 2020, one-year ahead of schedule.

Capital structure optimization program largely concluded

ABB has largely concluded its capital structure optimization program, conducted in order to strengthen ABB’s financial flexibility and support the de-risking of its balance sheet for the long-term.

The company reduced its gross debt obligations by $2.9 billion during 2020 through both scheduled and early repayment of bonds and by reducing outstanding credit facilities. The early repayment of bonds is reflected in incremental finance expenses of approximately $160 million in the fourth quarter income statement.

During the second half of 2020, ABB also transferred certain pension plan obligations to third party insurers, who have assumed the obligation to pay all pensions and benefits due to those plan members. In total, these transactions cover an estimated $2.5 billion of pension obligations that were underfunded by an estimated $770 million. The deals have been enabled by about $360 million of cash contributions, as well as the transfer of approximately $1.8 billion of existing pension plan assets. As a consequence, ABB recorded non-operational pension charges of $379 million and $141 million in its income statement in the third and fourth quarter periods, respectively.

As previously announced, ABB intends to return to shareholders cash proceeds of $7.6 – 7.8 billion from the divestment of its Power Grids business. A buyback program of 10 percent7 of the company’s share capital commenced July 23, 2020, and will continue to run until the company’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on March 25, 2021. At the AGM, ABB intends to request shareholder approval to cancel the shares purchased through this program and to announce next steps. ABB currently owns 140’953’809 treasury shares including shares repurchased through the buyback program.

Subsequent to year end, ABB issued a zero percent EUR 800 million bond, with a 9 year duration, for general corporate purposes.

Dividend

ABB’s board has proposed an ordinary dividend of 0.80 Swiss francs per share for 2020, subject to shareholder approval at the upcoming AGM. The proposal is in line with ABB’s dividend policy to pay a rising, sustainable dividend per share over time. Further information will be available on ABB’s website.

Short-term outlook

Market uncertainty due to COVID-19 increased through the fourth quarter. The outlook remains muted for segments such as oil and gas, conventional power generation and marine, while raw materials costs are rising. That said, there are signs of positive development in general industry and machine builders’ segments, while end-markets including buildings, distribution utilities, data centers, consumer electronics and food and beverage are expected to grow robustly.

Against this backdrop, and a tough comparison base for the first quarter of 2021, ABB envisages a return to positive year-on-year comparable order developments during the second quarter period. Comparable revenue growth is expected to prove resilient in the first quarter, supported by backlog conversion, although Industrial Automation (henceforth, Process Automation) is likely to be more challenged. The operational EBITA margin for the group is expected to clearly improve year-on-year, supported by improvements in most business areas, and to remain largely stable on a sequential basis.

Management’s base case is for a gradual improvement in market conditions as 2021 progresses. That said, forward visibility remains limited, particularly regarding the service market recovery in Process Automation. Given the above, ABB expects comparable revenue growth to be broadly in line with its long-term target range and expects clear margin accretion for the full year 2021 compared to full year 2020. ABB also expects strong EPS accretion8 and solid cash delivery for the year.

ABB’s financial targets, as established at the November 2020 Capital Markets Day, remain unchanged.

More information

The Q4 2020 results press release and presentation slides are available on the ABB News Center at www.abb.com/news and on the Investor Relations homepage at www.abb.com/investorrelations. A conference call and webcast for analysts and investors is scheduled to begin today at 10:00 a.m. CET (9:00 a.m. GMT). To pre-register for the conference call or to join the webcast, please refer to the ABB website: www.abb.com/investorrelations. The recorded session will be available after the event on ABB’s website.

ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a leading global technology company that energizes the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive, sustainable future. By connecting software to its electrification, robotics, automation and motion portfolio, ABB pushes the boundaries of technology to drive performance to new levels. With a history of excellence stretching back more than 130 years, ABB’s success is driven by about 105,000 talented employees in over 100 countries.

INVESTOR CALENDAR

Annual General Meeting (virtual)

March 25, 2021

Q1 results

April 27, 2021

Q2 results

July 22, 2021

Q3 results

October 21, 2021

Important notice about forward-looking information

This press release includes forward-looking information and statements as well as other statements concerning the outlook for our business, including those in the sections of this release titled “Short-term outlook”. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the factors that may affect our future performance, including global economic conditions, the economic conditions of the regions and industries that are major markets for ABB. These expectations, estimates and projections are generally identifiable by statements containing words such as “expects,” “estimates,” “plans”, “targets” or similar expressions. However, there are many risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, that could cause our actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking information and statements made in this press release and which could affect our ability to achieve any or all of our stated targets. The important factors that could cause such differences include, among others, business risks associated with the volatile global economic environment and political conditions, costs associated with compliance activities, market acceptance of new products and services, changes in governmental regulations and currency exchange rates and such other factors as may be discussed from time to time in ABB Ltd’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Reports on Form 20-F. Although ABB Ltd believes that its expectations reflected in any such forward-looking statement are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that those expectations will be achieved.

Zurich, February 4, 2021

Björn Rosengren, CEO

_________________________

1 For a reconciliation of non-GAAP measures, see “supplemental reconciliations and definitions” in the attached Q4 2020 Financial Information.

2 EPS growth rates are computed using unrounded amounts. Comparable operational earnings per share is in constant currency (2019 exchange rates not adjusted for changes in the business portfolio)

3 Constant currency (not adjusted for portfolio changes).

4Amount represents total for both continuing and discontinued operations.

5 Large orders, defined as orders >$15 million

6 The settlement does not cover regulatory proceedings outside South Africa, which are currently not estimable.

7 Maximum 10 percent of the company’s issued share capital, including treasury shares.

8 Excluding book gain from the sale of Power Grids.

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210203006050/en/

Contacts
ABB Ltd
Affolternstrasse 44
8050 Zurich
Switzerland

Media Relations
Phone: +41 43 317 71 11
E-mail: media.relations@ch.abb.com
or
Investor Relations
Phone: +41 43 317 71 11
E-mail: investor.relations@ch.abb.com


 
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Shell, C3 AI, Baker Hughes, and Microsoft Launch the Open AI Energy Initiative, an Ecosystem of AI Solutions to Help Transform the Energy Industry

Initial Offerings Include AI-Based Reliability Applications to Improve Operational Efficiency for the Energy and Process Industries

THE HAGUE, Netherlands, REDWOOD CITY, Calif., HOUSTON & REDMOND, Wash.-Tuesday 2 February 2021 [ AETOS Wire ]

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Shell (NYSE:RDS), C3 AI (NYSE:AI), Baker Hughes (NYSE:BKR), and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) today announced the launch of the Open AI Energy Initiative™ (OAI), a first-of-its-kind open ecosystem of artificial intelligence (AI)-based solutions for the energy and process industries. The OAI provides a framework for energy operators, service providers, equipment providers, and independent software vendors for energy services to offer interoperable solutions, including AI and physics-based models, monitoring, diagnostics, prescriptive actions, and services, powered by the BHC3™ AI Suite and Microsoft Azure.

“This initiative is about combining the efforts of global leaders to accelerate the digital transformation of the energy industry to new, safe, and secure energy and to ensure climate security,” said C3 AI CEO Thomas M. Siebel.

The first set of OAI solutions provided by Shell and Baker Hughes are focused on reliability and designed to improve uptime and performance of energy assets and processes. These reliability solutions will serve as extensions to the current BHC3 Reliability application, an AI-based application that provides reliability, process, and maintenance engineers with AI-enabled insights to predict process and equipment performance risks for the energy industry. The application leverages the BHC3 AI Suite’s ability to integrate enterprise-scale data from disparate data sources and train AI reliability models that cover full plant operations while taking full advantage of Azure, Microsoft’s scalable, enterprise-class cloud infrastructure.

The OAI augments BHC3 Applications with partner-led, domain-specific solutions that accelerate deployment of AI-based reliability solutions to unlock significant economic value across the energy industry while helping to make energy production cleaner, safer, and more efficient. The initial OAI reliability solutions offered by Shell and Baker Hughes enable interoperability between BHC3 Reliability, OAI modules, and existing industry solutions for such applications. Solutions available today include proven and tested equipment- and process-specific modules with pre-trained AI models, codified subject matter expertise, low-latency data connectors, thermodynamic and operating parameter libraries, global health monitoring services, deep diagnostics, failure prevention recommendations, and prescriptive actions.

Shell is making modules available through the OAI, including:

Shell Predictive Maintenance for Control Valves

Shell Predictive Maintenance for Rotating Equipment

Shell Predictive Maintenance for Subsea Electrical Submersible Pumps

Baker Hughes will offer OAI interoperability with a range of existing technologies in the energy industry, including:

iCenter – Turbomachinery Advanced Digital Services

Bently Nevada System 1 Condition Monitoring Software

Baker Hughes Valve Lifecycle Management

The Open AI Energy Initiative will augment Baker Hughes and C3 AI Applications, including:

BHC3 Reliability

BHC3 Production Optimization

BHC3 Inventory Optimization

C3 AI CRM

“Digital technologies and AI are helping us improve our core business today and build the energy businesses of the future. Over the last few years, we have been working with C3 AI to scale our AI-based predictive maintenance solutions to reduce costs and improve the productivity, reliability, and performance of our assets,” said Shell Chief Technology Officer Yuri Sebregts. “We are monitoring more than 5,200 pieces of equipment using machine learning across upstream and downstream manufacturing as well as integrated gas assets. We are excited to take this capability to market and want to develop an open ecosystem where others can offer AI solutions to help improve reliability across the industry.”

“Taking energy forward requires new approaches to technology that leverage collaboration, open data standards, and cutting-edge AI capabilities,” said Uwem Ukpong, executive vice president of regions, alliances & enterprise sales at Baker Hughes. “Working alongside our alliance partners at C3 AI and together with industry leaders at Shell and Microsoft, the OAI will help address the persistent industry challenge of nonproductive downtime. This new ecosystem will leverage our strong existing BHC3 portfolio and is a promising step in the digital transformation of energy.”

“Microsoft is committed to the transformation of the energy sector and supporting solutions like the Open AI Energy Initiative, which are contributing to the realization of these transformation goals,” said Microsoft Vice President of Energy Darryl Willis. “Digital technology is helping key industry areas such as plant reliability and maintenance, and Microsoft’s participation in the Open AI Energy Initiative will further advance the transition to a net-zero emissions future.”

“The Open AI Energy Initiative is an early but clear reflection of the direction the market is heading,” said Kevin Prouty, IDC group vice president, energy and manufacturing insights. “With this already-established alliance of leading organizations, including C3 AI, Shell, Baker Hughes, and Microsoft, the OAI is poised to single-handedly establish the ecosystem of enterprise AI for the energy industry.”

Learn more about the Open AI Energy Initiative and its reliability solutions at https://bakerhughesc3.ai/products/bhc3-oai/

About C3.ai, Inc.

C3.ai, Inc. (NYSE:AI) is a leading provider of enterprise AI software for accelerating digital transformation. C3 AI delivers a family of fully integrated products: C3 AI® Suite, an end-to-end platform for developing, deploying, and operating large-scale AI applications; C3 AI Applications, a portfolio of industry-specific SaaS AI applications; C3 AI CRM, a suite of industry-specific CRM applications designed for AI and machine learning; and C3 AI Ex Machina, a no-code AI solution to apply data science to everyday business problems. The core of the C3 AI offering is an open, model-driven AI architecture that dramatically simplifies data science and application development. Learn more at: www.c3.ai

About Royal Dutch Shell plc

Royal Dutch Shell plc is incorporated in England and Wales‚ has its headquarters in The Hague and is listed on the London‚ Amsterdam‚ and New York stock exchanges. Shell companies have operations in more than 70 countries and territories with businesses including oil and gas exploration and production; production and marketing of liquefied natural gas and gas to liquids; manufacturing‚ marketing and shipping of oil products and chemicals and renewable energy projects. For further information‚ visit www.shell.com.

About Baker Hughes

Baker Hughes (NYSE: BKR) is an energy technology company that provides solutions to energy and industrial customers worldwide. Built on a century of experience and with operations in over 120 countries, our innovative technologies and services are taking energy forward – making it safer, cleaner and more efficient for people and the planet. Visit us at bakerhughes.com.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210201005936/en/

 

Contacts
C3.ai Public Relations
Edelman
Lisa Kennedy
415-914-8336
pr@c3.ai

Investor Relations
IR@C3.ai

Shell Media Relations
Laura van Lingen
+31 (0)70 377 8750
Laura.vanLingen@shell.com

Baker Hughes Contacts:
Media Relations
Ashley Nelson
+1 925-316-9197
Ashley.nelson1@bakerhughes.com

Helen Roberts
+44 (0)7557 812474
Helen.Roberts@bakerhughes.com

Investor Relations
Jud Bailey
+1 281-809-9088
investor.relations@bakerhughes.com

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